Staggered-switch brace.



T. i. WOLFE.

STAGGERED SWITCH BRACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, l9l6,

INVENTOR ATTORN EY WXTNESS THOMAS J. wotrn, or new AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA.

sunscreen-SWITCH BRACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 24, 1916. Serial No. 86,436.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. WOLFE, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at New Augustine, in the county of St. Johns and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Staggered Switch Brace, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improvement in switches of the staggered type, or that type wherein oneswitch rail is long, and the other switch rail is short. I

Various attempts have been made to reinforce, strengthen or brace, the projecting end or extremity of the long switch rail. Considerable wear is placed upon this extremity, and unless the same can be held securely against themain track rail, or be held positively away from the same, according to the adjustment of the switch. thislong rail is subjected to undue wear, frequently catches against the wheel .flange, and throws the rolling stock from the track. v It is an object of this invention to provide an improved brace or means for tying and holding together the outer ends of both the long .andthe short rails, so thatthey are rigidly held in properly spaced relation, and so that when the switch is shifted or thrown, the extremity of the long rail will be positively held and braced either against the main rail of the track, or in properly spaced relation therefrom. I Itis another object ofthis invention to provide a. bracing-and shifting means of this nature, which does not requirespecially formed tracks, rails, switchbars, and thelike, but which may be easily .attached'to the staggered switches now in common use, and which will in no way interfere with the use of the ordinary switch bar employed for shifting the switch rails.

- A. further object-of the present invention is toprovide a switch construction which requires but little attention after installation,;whic h; may be used in all places where switches of thistype may be employed, which insures the close'fitting of the long point against the main rail of the track, and which requires no special switch stand to control or operate the switch. v

Qther objects and advantages of; the invention willbe pointed out in the following specific disclosure of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein? Figurel-is a top plan vie- 3 9 a portion of a track, showinga staggered switch embodying the features of the present invention. I 1

Fig. '2 is a fragmentary enlarged View showing, in top plan, the outerends of the long and short switch rails, and the means for bracing the extremity of the long, rail. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken. onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

,Fig. 4: is a longitudinal sectional view,..

taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

Referringto this drawing, wherein like parts are designated by similar numerals of reference throughout the several views, 10

designates line, of ties arranged in the usual manner, and wh ch support at one slde of the track, an inner siding rail 11, and at theoppo'site side of the track an outer main,

track rail 12. The track isprovided witha switch comprising along switch rail 13 of the inner main' track rail 13 and a short switch. rail 14L of the outer siding rail 14?, both switch rails lying within the track be tween the rails 11 and 12. The free shift able ends of the switch rails 13 and 14 are secured together, for simultaneous adjustment, by one or more tie rods 15, thepresent disclosure having three longitudinally spaced apart tie rods 15, extending transversely of the track to hold the switch rails 13 and 14 from spreading, and from collapsing. Ilhe extremity or point 16 of the long railj13 extends outwardly beyond the outer brace 15 and beyond the transverse plane of the point 17 of the short switch rail 14.. This a rrangement providesa switch of the staggered type. .The short point 17 is secured to a switch bar 18, which passes laterally. from the track beneath the outer main track rail 7 12, in the usual manner,so that by the usual manipulation or the switch bar .18,the

switchrails 13 and 14: maybe shifted. In

most cases, the long'point 16 projectsout: wardly without any support, and depends entirely upon its inherent rigid construction to hold the point 16 flat or close against the 1 I innerside of the inner siding rail 11, orlto hold the long, point 16 in inwardly spaced relation from the rail 11, 'accordingto the adjustment of the switch. It has been. found in actualpractice; that by the frequent use of the switch, the-long point 16 becomesbent or displaced, so that it s does not lie fiat against the inner side of the straight rail when the switch is adjusted to move the long reint- 11 .t9;i a ih pos ti n. lei-thaw aithe of the long point 16.

wheel flanges abruptly strike against this point 16, and press thereagainst with undue friction, so that the point 16 is subjected to unnecessary wear, and is so placed that it frequently becomes dangerous in engaging the wheel flange and de'railing the rolling stock. Various forms of braces have been applied to this long point 16, but these braces have been placed longitudinally against the long rail. The braces themselves, therefore, are subjected to the same displacing strains as are the long points 16. These prior braces, therefore, have only served as slight reinforcements for the long point 16, and they in no wise overcome the diificulty had in forcing the long point 16 against the rail 11.

The present invention provides a brace bar 19, which is connected at one end, by means of an ear 20, to the outer extremity The brace bar 19 extends diagonally across the track and has its opposite end connected to the short point 17, through the medium of one end of the adjacent tie bar 15 and an ear 21, this being effected by a rivet 22, or the like, secured to the tie bar 15, adjacent the end thereof, and in slightly spaced relation from the ear 21, as shown to advantage in Fig. 2. It will be noted that the switch bar 18 is connected to the short point 17 directly in line with the outermost tie bar 15, so that the pull and thrust of the switch bar 18 is transmitted directly to the outermost tie bar 15, and in the line of the length of the tie bar. The brace bar 19 has its inner end attached to this tie bar 15, so that the pull and thrust of the switch bar 18 is transmitted substantially directly through the brace bar 19 to the outer extremity of the long point 16. Thus, the point 16 is not swung into and out of contact with the rail 11 by the tie bar 15 which is located at a considerable distance from the extremity of the point 16, but is shifted into and out of position by the direct thrust and pull of the switch bar 18 and the brace bar 19. Therefore, there can be no flexing, bending, o-r displacement of the long point 16 of the switch without breaking or bending the brace bar 19. The point 16 must at all times be removed throughout its entire length of travel, so as to lie flat against and in close contact with the adj acent rail 11, or to be drawn away completely out of contact therewith, and be spaced the required distance from the same.

The brace bar 19 may be secured to the long point 16 and the short point 17 by any other suitable means than above described. The ends of the tie bars 15 at one side of the track are secured by means of the cars 21 to the short rail 14, while the other ends of the tie bars 15 are secured by the ears 27 to the long rail 13. All of the ears used in this switch stracture, the ears 20, 21 3.116 27, are

of the same form and provide vertically spaced apart projections outstanding from a base plate 23, the projections receiving therebetween the adjacent ends of the tie bars 15, or the end 24- of the brace bar 19. The base plates 23 are riveted, bolted, or otherwise suitably secured against the inner opposite faces of the long and short rails 13 and 1 1. The outer end 24 of the brace bar 19 is preferably bent directly toward the adjacent point 16, in a direction transversely of the track. The end .24: is connected to the ear 20 by a rivet 5'25, which, like the rivet 22, may form a hinged joint to take up any inequalities in. the braces due to expansion or contraction of the parts, or the like. The ears 21 and 27 carryrivets 28 for engagement with the tie bars 15.

A guard rail. 26 of any approved construction is mounted in the ordinary man.- ner in spaced. relation from the inner side of the main. rail 12 and in substantially longitudinal alinement with the short rail 14 of the switch.

in the use of the switch, when the switch bar 18 is drawn outwardly from the track, the tie bars 15 draw the long rail 13 away from the rail 11. Should, for any reason,

the extremity 16 adhere or stick against the inside of the rail 11, the pull of the switch bar 18 is transmitted through the brace bar 19 directly to the extremity of the point 16, so that the extremity 16 is held in true longitudinal alinement with the'long rail'13, and must move as a unit therewith away from the track rail 11, In a like manner, when the switch bar 18 is forced inwardly, the rails 13 and let are shifted to engage the long rail 13 against the rail 11. In this instance, the long point 16 is forced into hard contact or engagement against the inner side of the rail 11 by the brace bar 19 which transmits directly the thrust of the switch bar 18 against the extremity of the point 16. There can thus be no flexing or bending of the point 16, as the pressure of the's'witch bar 18 is exerted directly unonthe outer extremity of the point 16. This provides not only a means for exerting a direct pressure upon the point to insure its complete and proper operation, but it also provides a means for holding and bracing the point in any of its adjusted positions, so as to prevent any accidental bending of the point when subjected to lateral pressure.

The outer ends of the long and short rails 13 and 1e are connected not only by the tie bar 15, but also by the diagonally extending brace bar 19 to thus provide, together with the long point 16, a triangular structure which is braced along all sides, so as to hold the long point 16 in its true position and to transmit any lateral pressure exerted upon the outer ends of the long and short rails 13 and 14,"-directly to the outer-extremity of the long point 16 Thus, the long switch rail 13 is held from bending or buckling at its outer end, for the diagonal brace 19 also reinforces the outer tie bar 15 to thus hold the outer and inner extremities of the long point 16 from displacement.

Y'Vhat is claimed is l 1. In a switch, long and short switch rails, a transversely extending tie bar connected at one end to the extremity of said short rail and at its opposite end to said long rail inwardly of the free extremity thereof, means for shifting said switch rails, and a brace bar secured at one end to the outer free extremity of said long rail and extend ing obliquely inward and being pivotally secured at its opposite end to the said tie bar.

2. In a switch, the combination with long and short switch rails, a tie bar extending transversely between the rails and connecting the outer end of the short rail to the long rail in rear of the outer end of the latter, and a switch bar connected with the short switch rail and extending laterally from the track in longitudinal alinement v with the tie bar, of a brace bar secured at its forward end to the outer extremity of said long switch rail and having its inner end pivotally secured to the said tie bar ad- -jacent the short rail, whereby to brace the extremity of said 'longswitch rail beyond the tie bar and to transmit directly the pull I Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

